Fast-tracking Midwest gas plants

This roundup of energy news headlines comes from our Midwest Energy News newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox each morning.

GRID

• MISO’s proposal for fast-tracking certain new gas plants to address capacity shortfalls would worsen interconnection bottlenecks and is less efficient than bringing online new wind, solar, and battery projects, clean energy groups say. (Canary Media)

UTILITIES

• Sweeping, utility-backed energy reforms proposed by Republican Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds run into broad opposition from clean energy groups, businesses, tech firms, and consumer advocates who say the plan would raise energy prices. (Des Moines Register)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• EV manufacturer Rivian announces a $120 million investment to build a supplier park in Illinois that’s meant to reduce shipping, logistics, and warehousing costs. (Reuters)

DATA CENTERS

• The president and CEO of MISO says at an event in Indiana that the grid operator is attempting to balance needs to support new demand from data centers with both fossil fuels and renewable energy. (StatehouseFile.com)

• The dozens of pending proposals for Indiana data centers raise concerns among critics about the need for massive amounts of electricity to power the facilities. (Indianapolis Star)

• TC Energy approves a $900 million gas pipeline project to increase capacity through the Midwest and serve gas plants that will power new data centers. (Data Center Dynamics)

• The developer of a multibillion-dollar data center in South Dakota says it favors the cold weather to save money on electricity. (South Dakota Public Broadcasting)

CLIMATE

• Michigan leaders say the state will press on with its climate and clean energy targets despite policy and funding uncertainty at the federal level. (Michigan Advance)

STORAGE

• Michigan’s two major utilities have been locked in a five-year court dispute over claims of design flaws for large turbines that power a massive pumped hydro storage plant along Lake Michigan. (MLive)

WIND

• Attorneys general from 17 states and Washington D.C. sue the Trump administration over an executive order to pause the development of onshore and offshore wind projects. (Associated Press)

PIPELINES

• The Ohio state House’s budget proposal includes funding for the study and possible construction of oil and gas pipelines in the northeast corner of the state. (Star Beacon)

COMMENTARY

• The Iowa Senate needs to take up and pass proposed restrictions on the use of eminent domain for carbon pipelines to protect property rights, an Iowa editorial board writes. (Des Moines Register)